Tomorrow I'll stop - DVD

Film: Actually, Jochen Lehmann (Bastian Pastewka) just wanted to offer his family in the tranquil Bad Nauheim near Frankfurt a nice life. But the beautiful appearance, which he has built so painstakingly, he can no longer maintain. Because Jochen is broke. The big orders that used to make his print shop so successful have not come in for some time. And the bank is now demanding that he pay back his loans. So Jochen hardly notices the problems in his family. Not about the fact that his son is being bullied at school, and not about the fact that his eldest daughter has a crush on the guy who is giving her brother the worst time of all. And he doesn't even know that his wife Julia (Susanne Wolff) is having an affair with a former classmate. But Jochen doesn't want to know about any of that right now. He has to find a way to get out of the mess. And one night in his print shop he has an idea that sounds so absurd that it can't actually work. So why not give it a try? And before he knows it, Jochen finds himself in the middle of a chaotic web of crime, surveillance, murder and lots of counterfeit money.

Tomorrow I'll Stop was often touted in advance as the German answer to Breaking Bad. Where this comparison comes from becomes quickly clear, to be sure. Nevertheless, it is rather unfortunate chosen, because it builds up an expectation with the viewer, which this mini-series can not withstand. And that's a pity, because here the attempt was made to try something new, which is unfortunately still a rarity in German television, despite some successful exceptions. Director Martin Eigler has staged a very entertaining mixture of drama, comedy and thriller in Bad Naumheim and Frankfurt, which works extremely well over long stretches.

A particular gamble here was the casting of Bastian Pastewka in the lead role. Because especially through his wonderful series Pastewka, but also through appearances in other comedies and comedy shows, he is nevertheless very much committed to one type of role. And indeed, when you see him, you immediately expect to see something funny. And some viewers might be disappointed that this is not the case. But it is really worthwhile to get involved with a somewhat more serious Bastian Pastewka. Because only then it becomes clear that he definitely knows how to convince even in the more dramatic scenes.

The story pleases with quite a few partly very bizarre twists. These are not always absolutely logical or realistic, lift the entertainment value of the mini-series significantly. Another highlight are the appearances of Alexander Scheer as the Frankfurt inspector, who provides some really amusing moments with his very special way. The subplots woven well into the main plot, the very good camera work and the entire ensemble ensure that Morgen hör ich auf has become TV entertainment absolutely worth watching. Only the ending disappoints a bit. It seems a wee bit rushed and overly contrived to live up to the expectations stoked by the first episodes.

But even if the last minutes disappoint, so remains in the end a very positive overall impression, which not only makes you want a possible sequel, but also to get to know more new facets of Bastian Pastewka. Absolutely worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: The atmospheric images of Bad Nauheim, Frankfurt and the surrounding area can unfold well on the DVD. While there are slight drops in detail here and there, especially in the darker scenes, overall the decent overall sharpness and very atmospheric colouring leave a very positive overall impression. The same goes for the audio, which is in stereo and more than satisfactorily fulfills its primary purpose of making the dialogue and some atmospheric ambient sounds sound well-matched. Good.

Extras: As a bonus there is a very funny clip from Neo magazine with Jan Bömermann (approx. 3:45 min.). Unfortunately, that's about it.

Conclusion: Morgen hör ich auf is not, as it was often gladly called, the German Breaking Bad. But exciting and entertaining entertainment offers this mixture of drama, comedy and thriller all the time. Bastian Pastewka can - as long as the viewer can get involved - be quite convincing in this largely serious role. And the other actors - especially Alexander Scheer - are also convincing. Despite a finale that seems a bit contrived and a few small lengths, this is a really good mini-series that is presented on DVD in appealing picture and sound quality. Only the bonus material could have been a little more. Overall, the positive aspects are quite clearly enough for a: Absolutely recommendable!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp